Sex differences in psychiatrists' practice patterns and incomes

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry Vol. 151; no. 1; p. 96
• Main Authors: Dial, T H, Grimes, P E, Leibenluft, E, Pincus, H A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.1994
• Subjects: Adolescent Psychiatry; Adult; Age Factors; Child Psychiatry; Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities; Continental Population Groups; Ethnic Groups; Female; Hospitals, General; Humans; Income; Institutional Practice - statistics & numerical data; Internship and Residency - statistics & numerical data; Male; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - therapy; Middle Aged; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Private Practice - statistics & numerical data; Psychiatry - economics; Sex Factors; United States; Workload; Workplace; United States
• ISSN: 0002-953X
• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.151.1.96

Using data from the APA's 1988-1989 Professional Activities Survey, the authors compared male and female psychiatrists on demographic characteristics, training, practice patterns, and income. In keeping with previous studies' findings, female respondents on the average were younger than male respondents and more likely to have taken a residency or fellowship in child or adolescent psychiatry, worked fewer hours per week, allocated their working hours differently among types of activities, saw fewer patients per week, and worked in somewhat different settings. Multiple regression analysis showed that women had significantly lower mean net annual income than men after the effects of those predictors were statistically controlled. Differences in age, training, hours worked in specific settings, and numbers of patients do not completely account for the gender gap in psychiatrists' annual incomes.